New All-Inclusive Resort in the Turk & Caicos!
This is BIG news! Every week I receive one or two calls from potential clients looking for an all-inclusive resort in the Turks & Caicos. They've heard about the island's amazing beaches, most notably Grace Bay Beach, and they are accustomed to vacationing with all meals & drinks included in the upfront cost and if Beaches Resort & Club Med Turkoise are not a perfect match, we quickly move on to other islands. Not anymore!
Meet The Veranda:
Turks & Caicos newest fully inclusive resort.
Perfectly situated on the famed Grace Bay Beach.
The Veranda consists of studios, suites & cottages.
Each unit is well appointed with upmarket designer pieces in a calming neutral theme.
If you can pull yourself out of the ocean, there are 3 pools, a full service spa, and fitness facility.
All accommodations have air conditioning, ceiling fans, LCD flat screen TVs, Sony Dream Machine, Play Station 3, complimentary Wi-Fi, Egyptian linens and feather beds, direct-dial telephones and in-room safes. Many units feature spacious outdoor verandas.
Book NOW for travel February 1 to March 31 and receive 30% off their normal rates! Rates start at $318/per person, based on double occupancy and include: all meals, beverages, round trip airport transfers, wireless Internet access, local phone calls, non-motorized water sports, government tax & service charge.
Love is in the Air this Valentine's Day @ Half Moon, Jamaica
Romance is alive every day of the year at the Half Moon Resort's Sugar Mill Restaurant in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Who doesn't love a great menu? The Valentine Feast they have created is creative, innovative and sure to be delish!
SUGAR MILL VALENTINE’S DINNER MENU
Feb. 14th 2010
“LOVE POTION”
Jerk Coconut Soup combined with Cream of Spinach &Scallion Garlic Pimento roasted Bread Fruit Croutons
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“ST. VALENTINE’S COCKTAIL”
Shrimp & Lobster Cocktail Orange, Rose & Hibiscus Salad, Spicy Chocolate Cocktail Sauce
“TOWER OF LOVE”
Mango, Tomato, Sorrel & Egg Plant Timbale with Scotch Bonnete Sour Cream Baby Greens and Ripe Plantain Vinaigrette
“CUPID’S ARROW” Conch Seviche in Pumpkin Vol-au-vent with Sambar
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“A LINGERING KISS”
Chrysanthemum, Ginger & Bird Pepper Sorbet
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“AN AFFAIR OF THE HERT”
Sugar Mill Surf & Turf
CAB Tenderloin, Char Grilled Lobster Tail with Jerk Coconut Sauce
“THE LOVE OF MY LIFE”
Coriander & Cumin Smoked Lamb Loin warm Rosemary & Red wine Jelly
“SWEETHEARTS”
Fresh Caught Duo of Snapper Coconut Crusted and Fried, Coconut & Cilantro Poached Snapper Siracha & Grape Fruit Jelly
“ROMANTIC KISS”
Chicken Leg Ballotine, Lemon Grass & Corn Meal filling
Jerk Tia Maria Sauce
“LOVE IS IN THE AIR”
Ackee, Bammy & Vegetable Gizzada Tomato Thyme Run-Down
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“SWEET VALENTINE”
Chocolate & Guava Mousse, Coconut & Passion Fruit Ice Cream, Chilled Rose Sherbet
Freshly Brewed Coffee, Herbal Teas & Petit Fours
$85 ++
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Need to escape for Valentine's Day? Rates to Jamaica are still reasonable for the long weekend and make hotels still have space. Jamaica is a great destination for cheap flights from London and other cities in Europe as well.
Culinary Capital of the Caribbean
I copied this list from a press release & thought it worthy of sharing because of the great summaries for many of St. Maarten's restaurants. St. Martin & St. Maarten are often referred to as the "Culinary Capital of the Caribbean". You decide. Enjoy!
Photo is from Temptation.
Often called the “Culinary Capital of the Caribbean,” the island of St. Maarten gives voice to cooking styles from every corner of the globe with more than 300 restaurants offering Dutch, French, Caribbean, Thai, Italian, Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese, Indonesian, Creole and other cuisines. Diners can find romantic restaurants in Cupecoy and Maho, a variety of bistros on Front Street in Philipsburg, and beachside bars and outdoor cafes at Simpson Bay. Some of the top restaurants in St. Maarten: include:
Mr. Busby’s (www.dawnbeachsxm.com) -- Located on St. Maarten’s eastern shore, this beachside restaurant serves breakfast and lunch daily. The menu ranges from salads and cold sandwiches (like crabmeat, chicken, tuna or delectable clubs) to grilled specialties such as mahi mahi, shrimp, grilled lobster, burgers, hot dogs, and baby back ribs. During the evening, Mr. Busby’s is transformed into an Italian restaurant known as Daniel’s By The Sea.
Cupecoy and Maho Bay is situated on the western side of the island, and provides a variety of casual beach-side dining options as well as trendy up-scale restaurants.
Temptation & Rare -- These sister restaurants are located within the Atlantis World Casino, run by chef and owner Dino Jagtiani. Jagtiani trained at the Culinary Institute of America and is a two-time gold medal winner of the prestigious Taste of the Caribbean culinary competition.
Temptation (www.nouveaucaribbean.com) -- Temptation features “Nouveau Caribbean” cuisine served against a waterfall backdrop, all elegantly wrapped in melodic piano music. Menu options include popped black bean crusted sashimi grade tuna, hoisin-lime glazed pork tenderloin, and the “McDino’s” tempura apple pie. The restaurant also includes an elegant, outdoor bar area.
Rare (www.daretoberare.com) -- Rare is one of the most acclaimed steakhouses in St. Maarten for top-quality USDA prime steaks, from 12-ounce filet mignons to 28-ounce porterhouse steaks. There are a variety of sauces and creative side dishes to choose from such as chili-garlic fries, truffled mac ‘n’ cheese, Vidalia onion rings with rhubarb ketchup and wasabi hollandaise. Rare fills a unique niche in the gourmet capital of the Caribbean, and does so with impeccable style.
Bamboo Bernies (www.bamboobernies.net) -- Bamboo Bernies has recently moved to the five-star Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Casino complex and transformed into an ultra-sleek restaurant and lounge. The Buddha Lounge area serves food and drinks into the early hours of the morning amidst stylish Asian décor. Exotic cocktails include heaven, fire and ice, plus an extensive list of shakes. Guests can enjoy world-class sushi prepared by master chefs from New York and Los Angeles.
Bliss -- Located inside The Caravanserai Beach Resort within walking distance of the Maho strip, Bliss combines open-air seating in a tropical setting with exotic plants and private cabanas. The Taste of Bliss menu includes delectable fresh oysters in vodka shot glasses, gilled sirloin, lobster bruschetta and baked salmon. Bliss is also one of St. Maarten’s most popular night spots during the later hours.
Philipsburg, the capital of Dutch St. Maarten, offers a wide variety of shops and restaurants lined along cobblestone streets. Most of the village’s eateries can be found on Front Street including Chesterfield’s, a nautically themed, open-air restaurant, which is an excellent place to enjoy a relaxed meal overlooking Great Bay. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner at a reasonable price, Chesterfield’s main fare includes steak and seafood.
The Greenhouse (www.thegreenhouserestaurant.com) -- The Greenhouse was established in 1986 and offers a laid back, yet lively atmosphere with an outside terrace, tranquil breezes and a picturesque view of the harbor. Menu options include steak, ribs, lobster and fresh seafood. The Greenhouse recently opened a second location in Simpson Bay, next to the Atrium Resort.
Ocean Lounge (www.hhbh.com) -- Situated in the center of Philipsburg, the Holland House Beach Hotel’s newly built, open-air lounge is one of the most stylish spots on the island. Dining options include an inventive selection of light snacks (zucchini soup shooters, salmon and caper bruschetta, tonka bean crème brûlée). Live music sets the mood for a relaxing meal.
Oualichi Beach Bar & Restaurant -- Conveniently located on the boardwalk, Oualichi provides fantastic views of incoming cruise ships from the outdoor terrace and features a nautically-themed dining room. This popular hangout is well known for their pizza and offers casual fare such as sandwiches and wraps.
Taloula Mango’s (www.taloulamangos.com) -- This casual beachfront restaurant serves a variety of sandwiches, seafood, beef, pasta, vegetarian entrées, and some of the best ribs on the island. On weekdays, lunch is accompanied by live music and on Friday evenings, guests can enjoy happy hour with a live DJ.
Ras Bushman’s I-Tal Shack (www.sxmfreedomfighters.com/restaurant) -- Ras Bushman’s I-Tal Shack is a small vegan restaurant located on Bush Road. The I-Tal Shack serves local organic, homegrown vegetarian food and fresh local juices. When not on premises, Ras Bushman can often be found at one of the island’s many entertainment venues with his reggae band, the Freedom Fighters.
Kangaroo Court Café -- Located across from the famous Courthouse, Kangaroo Court is open daily for breakfast and lunch. Kangaroo Court offers an amazing assortment of pastries plus all flavors and types of coffee, cappuccinos, espressos and more. The seating area is situated inside a garden, surrounded by Almond trees and lush vegetation.
Simpson Bay and Cole Bay is situated next to the Princess Juliana Airport, the area is lined with hotels, casinos, and restaurants. A large drawbridge opens six times a day to let mega-yachts into the Isla del Sol Marina. Here travelers can find a variety of beach bars, low-key eateries and outdoor cafes.
The Hideaway -- Located at La Vista Resort on Pelican Key, this charming restaurant is situated next to an infinity pool overlooking Saba island. The Creole-inspired dishes, all made from fresh ingredients, include snapper, shrimp and scallop ceviche.
Pineapple Pete’s (www.pineapplepete.com) -- Known for offering some of the best nightly music, Pineapple Pete’s provides a cozy and casual atmosphere for diners. The restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner, and the menu options include herb crusted rack of lamb, crab stuffed shrimp, lobster thermidor, crab and spinach crusted grouper and more.
Saratoga -- Resembling a Spanish colonial structure from the outside, patrons can enjoy seating indoors or on a marina-side veranda. The menu changes every two days and features selections such as onion-crusted salmon, yellowfin tuna, crispy-fried black sea bass, and rack of venison.
The Stone Restaurant (www.thestonerestaurant.com) -- This unique restaurant offers a new and intriguing method of preparing and serving food. Guests can choose from tender beef filet, vegetarian selections, or fresh seafood. Meals are served on a hot stone and cooked right at the table.
Zee Best (www.zeebestrestaurant.com) -- Known for their large breakfast menu, Zee Best offers more than 20 varieties of pastries, espresso and cappuccinos until 2 p.m. The lunch menu features all the breakfast items, plus burgers, salads, sandwiches and more.
Peg Leg Pub (www.peglegpub.com ) -- Famed as one of St. Maarten’s best steakhouses, the Peg Leg Pub offers tender USDA grain-fed beef, a spectrum of seafood specialties, decadent desserts, super soups and salads, and an extensive appetizer menu. The décor resembles that of a traditional English Pub and the walls are filled with nautical artifacts. For more destination information, visit the official site of the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau at www.VacationStMaarten.com.
Caribbean Tourist Board Round-Up.
In recent years, the tourist boards of the Caribbean have amped up their websites with new high design features where one can virtually travel at the click of a mouse. All the same important & helpful facts are still found, but the experience of researching what your destination has to offer, is all the more pleasurable.
(Be sure and check our partner for low cost flights from Europe!)
Why should you visit a Tourist Board's website?
- Specials & Deals - see if the island is offering any island-wide promotion that you can ask your travel agent (hopefully, ME) about. Or search for coupons for local activities such as Stingray City in Grand Cayman. You can then combine one of these deals with cheap flights to the Caribbean.
- Photos - get a bigger picture of the island you will be visiting. tourist Board photos show more of the island that most hotel websites.
- Facts - do you need an electrical converter when visiting Antigua? Should you change currency in St. Lucia? What is the average rainfall in Puerto Rico? What are the legal marriage requirements for a Caribbean Destination Wedding?
- Festivals & Events - see if your travel dates coincide with Carnival or a Caribbean Music Fest, or perhaps a traditional holiday event unique to the island.
Just Launched - Caribbean Vacation Sale!
The Caribbean is on SALE! Hurry - must be booked by February 2, 2010. Below are a list of some of the participating hotels. Contact me {laura @ caribbeanjourney.com} and I will provide you with a custom quote for your travel dates!
Book 1 Night, Get 1 Night Free:
Radisson Aruba
Breezes Grand Resort & Spa, Negril, Jamaica
Coconut Bay Resort in St. Lucia
Almond Beach Village in Barbados
Book 2 Nights, Get 1 Free:
Radisson St. Martin + daily breakfast
The House in Barbados + daily breakfast
Comfort Suites in Nassau, Bahamas + daily breakfast & full use of Atlantis facilities
Paradisus Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Riu Ocho Rios + kids 12 and under stay and eat free
Book 3 Nights, Get 1 Free:
Body Holiday @ LeSport in St. Lucia + 1 complimentary spa treatment daily
CuisinArt in Anguilla + $100 resort credit
St. Kitts Marriott Resort + $50 resort credit & buffet breakfast daily
Sunset at the Palms in Negril, Jamaica
Excellence Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic
Somerset on Grace Bay + breakfast daily
Promo is valid for travel March 15 to August 31, 2010 and must be booked by February 2. Minimum nightly stays required. **Photo is the Body Holiday LeSport.
Help for Haiti
This is Haiti:
This is also Haiti:
So is this:
This week's news images showing the aftermath of the terrible Earthquake are for many people, the first images they have seen of Haiti. Yet, Haiti is as lovely as any other Caribbean island only with a fledgling tourism sector. I hope you will keep these images in mind and one day visit Haiti to see all the splendor firsthand.
Haiti needs our help. Yele Haiti is a great place to start. The organization was founded by Wyclef Jean, Grammy Award Winning Artist and native of the island. You can click the logo below to donate or text "Yele" to 510 510 to charge a $5 donation on your cell phone bill. 100% of donations to Yele Haiti go directly to those in need.
This is Wyclef Jean:
Haiti is a rich and colorful dive destination. Recreational dives are minimal in the area and the sea life is flourishing:
Oxfam International is a non-governmental consortia of agencies working together to help poverty worldwide. They immediately launched a Haiti Earthquake campaign and are in need of donations.
Not all beaches in Haiti are deserted crescents of paradise. Welcome to the Barefoot Beach Bar at Labadee Beach:
Doctors without Borders was already active in Haiti before the earthquake. They operate multiple hospitals on the island, all of which have been flattened. Many of their own staff are unaccounted for and yet they have already sprung into action setting up clinics to help the injured. Donate here.
The path less traveled... Haiti has many:
These beautiful photos of Haiti are from Epic Trip, a new and unique travel guide site driven by real travelers.
Here is a twitter roll call of organizations and folks keeping us informed of the recovery efforts: @CaribbeanTrips, @MSF_USA (Doctors without Borders)@Wyclef,@YeleHaitimy {heart} is breaking...
for Haiti
follow @wyclef (Wyclef Jean) and Help Haiti Earthquake Relief Donate $5 by texting YELE to 501 501 right now! Go to http://www.yele.org/ for more info.
UPDATE: The easist way to help is to text "yele" to 510 510 and pledge $5 to Wyclef Jean's organization. Also - Oxfam, Unicef, American Red Cross, Ben Stiller's Stillerstrong, & Mercy Corp.
5 months ago... mid-August. The phones in our little office were quiet and the stifling Atlanta humidity had drained the last drop of motivation from me and I could no longer remain at my desk. I closed up shop early, grabbed the kids, towels, cool drinks, and my most recent issue of Conde Nast Traveler and headed down the street to the cool relief of the pool. To the back drop of laughter, rounds of Marco Polo, and constant splashing, I read the story that made me think I love Haiti too...
"You can call Haiti the Cleopatra of countries—its ravishing natural assets, thrilling history, and magnetic culture have long made select visitors swoon. Its tortured past, however, has made it the Caribbean nation that tourism largely forgot... more"
I read CNT and most other travel magazines from cover to cover every month. Not a one has shown Haiti in this light, if at all. Publications avoid it like the plague. Perhaps no one wants to sponsor a press trip to a destination that doesn't sell. Who goes to Haiti, after all? Amy Wilentz didn't care. She went and she loved and her story is incredible... so delicious that I've revisited it countless times. When I closed my magazine that day, rolled onto my stomach and stretched out on my towel, I was thankful. Thankful of the view of my happy, healthy children, cool and hydrated, doing what all children deserve to do - be kids. I was smitten with this place... a new place I had to visit, a place I knew I too would fall in love with... a place maybe I could help. I could picture myself sitting at my desk and breathing my excitement into the phone, convincing a few well qualified clients to take the same trip. {stay tuned}
And now, today... the earthquake. 7.0! I know this is serious. I found myself 6 miles from a 6.9 earthquake in 2004 and to this day, I'm still spooked. Help now.
I {heart} Martinique!
The French Caribbean has long been a subject of my desire. I love France for all her high style, good tastes, and humble countrysides. I love the Caribbean for her lively people who reflect the region's warm sunny skies in their smiles. Combine the two and I'm in heaven. While the more well-known St. Martin & St. Barths are fabulous... its the off-the-beaten island of Martinique that has my attention for 2010. The Martinique Tourist Board does a great a top job of staying in touch... it seems I hear from them almost every week! The island also promises to impress when it comes to planning a party, event, or festival.
Seeking new inspiration for your 2010 Caribbean trip? View the 2010 Events Calendar for Martinique and then move on to the Martinqiue Tourist Board's delightful site... when you've decided this "très chic exotic beauty" is for you, come back to me and together we will plan the most enticing island escape you can imagine! Bon voyage!
a little bit of this...
If I owned a hotel... in the US... in some random state like, I don't know, maybe New Jersey, in a city most of the country and surely the world has never heard of, like Wildwood, I would name my hotel The Caribbean Hotel and have a sign just like this: 
Happy New Year!!!!
Happy New Year!!!
I hope the New Year has in store for you ample time to lay on the beach, in the arms of the one you love, and just take in the view.
ps. sweet pic first spotted on blog goggles - vintage themed engagement photos from tim melideo. more on that over here next week.
Cheers,